Subject A8 - The Variable
by lani'sworld
Summary: The Glade was boys only. But, what if the sixth Glader to come up out of the box was a girl? Emily wakes up with no memories and finds herself inside the Glade surrounded by teenage boys; they been trapped for six months already. She has to learn their rules and they have to learn to live with a girl. Will she fit in? will the Gladers be able to take her in?
1. The Box

**The Box**

I woke up to the sound of chains and metal crashing. I opened my eyes and couldn't see anything; the place I was in was pitch dark. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the blackness and saw that I was inside a metal box that was going upwards.

"Where am I? What is this place?" I tried to come up with an answer, but nothing came. Suddenly fear crept into my mind because I realized I couldn't remember anything, not even my name. I tried to focus my vision to take a look around my surroundings, there were at least a dozen boxes of all sizes and that was it. Without any warning the metal box came to a halt sending me backwards, landing on my butt. "Ouch!" I yelled, "What the hell?" I looked up just as the doors in the ceiling were sliding open. I had to shield my eyes as the light coming from above was too much to bear.

I tried to stand up, but it was useless since my body was shaking from head to toe. I hadn't realized but I was frightened. I felt someone jump into the box and I attempted to crawl towards the back of the box to go unnoticed.

"Hey, there" I heard a guy say. Damn, he noticed me. I didn't say anything but slowly turned around and came face to face with a lanky teenage boy with messy blond hair.

"Bloody hell" He squealed in a British accent. All I did was stare at him in shock.

"What's taking you so long, shuck face?" Someone from above yelled to the boy standing in front of me, and not in a very nice tone I might add.

"It's a girl" was all he responded. Apparently the fact that I was a girl was a big deal because hell broke loose up there.

"What?!" I heard at least ten different voices shouting at the same time.

"Is she hot?" another voice said.

"I call dibs" added a different person.

I was very confused with what was happening in that moment, but what really caught my attention was the fact that all the voices I heard were masculine, making me feel even more terrified than I already was. What is going on? Where am I? Who are these people? I started hyperventilating; my breathing labored and I could feel my heart thumping in my ears. The blond boy must have noticed that something was wrong with me because he stepped forward to try and reach me causing me to take a step back.

"Hey, it's okay, love. I'm not going to hurt you; I just wanna help you." He said as he extended his hand for me to take. He sounded sincere, his eyes confirming that. I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. Once I was standing I realized I was looking at his chest, he was taller than me by a head, I looked up at him and mumble a simple thanks.

"Name's Newt. Can you tell me yours?" he asked. Newt? What kinda name is that?

"No" I whispered looking down. "I can't remember anything." At that point I was on the verge of tears for not remembering something as simple as my name.

"It's okay, Greenie. We all went through the same. Your name will come back in a day or two."

"Oh. Okay."

"Wanna get out of this bloody box and come meet the others?" he asked. All I wanted was to get out of that dark box and see where I was, but I was scared of what I might encounter.

"Plus, I bet your starving." Newt tried again, and his comment must have triggered something in my brain because my stomach started to complain that it was empty and I just could not let it pass.

"Fine. Let's get out of this dump box." I found myself saying. I was shaking from fear and I didn't like feeling like that, vulnerable, so I straightened up and looked up at Newt with determination in my eyes. He just smiled at me and gestured me to follow him.

I thought that I had adjusted to the sunlight while I was taking to Newt inside the Box, but when someone pulled me out, I had to protect my eyes from the sun. Once I could open my eyes again I wished I hadn't, there were at least thirty teenage boys surrounding me, eager to take a look at me. Apparently the only girl here. Fear crept back into me and I was getting very tired of this feeling, like I was not used to being scared. Some fragments of memory wanted to come back, but just as fast as they came, they slipped away.

"Okay, shanks. Get back to work. Your scaring the poor girl." A voice in the crowd said. The tone he used was full of authority making it impossible to disobey. The boys started to dissipate and only three of them stayed behind, one of them being Newt. The other two were complete opposites; one of them had dark skin, and dark eyes, I took one look at them and sensed that he was a serious kind of guy. He was very buff, but not extremely muscular and just a few inches taller than me. The other one had fair skin, big green eyes and long brown hair held back in a ponytail. He was taller than Newt by half a head, that meant he was taller than me by a head and a half… Damn, both of them made me feel like a gnome; and also, he was double the size of the dark skinned boy, I had to admit that he intimidated me, a lot. Everything about the tall guy screamed leader.

"Nice to meet ya, Greenbean." He said. "Welcome to the Glade." So, he WAS the leader.

When he spoke those words I dared to take a look around.

The Glade was amazing, a big square of maybe 3 or 4 football fields. How did I know what a football field looked like? I have no idea. I remember the size, shape and green grass but I don't remember ever being in one. I did a 360º turn to take the place in. I took a deep breath to calm myself down as I watched four gigantic stone walls encircling my, now, new home. In the middle of each door was an opening and I felt an urge to know what was out there.

"Why are you still here if there are four doors to get out?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Look, shuck-face. Don't ask any question, alright? Not till I give you the shucking tour." The shortest boy said angrily.

"Okay, sorry." I looked down ashamed. Why was he being so mean to me? I haven't done anything to him and he was treating me like trash. I already felt like I did not belong here and never would. I was the only girl here I was sure of that now, I didn't know any of these people and on top of that, I had no memories of my life, my family or who I was. I felt completely alone.

Newt must have sensed my uneasiness because he looked at me with pity before saying, "Alby, look at her, she's scared. No need to be a slinthead." Then he referred to the guy with the ponytail. "Nick, I think it's better if _you_ give her the tour 'cause it's clear that this shank, right here, can't bloody do it." I decided right then that I didn't like this Alby guy, his eyes showed annoyance and hostility and just by on look, he made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed.

Relief flooded my body as Nick agreed with Newt and motioned for me to follow him.

"Alright, greenie. Let's go take this tour." He concluded and took off. I took one last glimpse towards Newt and Alby and walked silently behind Nick.


	2. The Glade

Hello! sorry for the wait, work got in the way and i hate really.

but here I am :)

Thank you so much to everyone who favorited, reviwed and put this story on alert! i really appeciate it.

Hope you like this chapter, and please review and let me know what you think :)

* * *

 **The Glade**

I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going, my mind was racing. Trying to find a way out of this place, trying to remember something that I might have done in the past to be sent here as punishment, trying to remember my name. I was in deep thought when I collided with a solid mass. Shit that hurt!

"Be careful, Greenie." Nick grumbled. Oh, he was the wall I collided into.

"Sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. And stop calling me Greenie. What does that even mean? And how long have you guys been here?" I couldn't stop the words from coming out of my mouth, I got desperate and wanted some answers.

Nick just sighed.

"Look, since ya' the only girl here I'm gonna make an exception and answer your questions, but from now on keep them in till the end of the tour, got it?"

"Got it."

"Good that. A Greenie is what we call the newbies, every month we get a new one and since no one remembers their name when they come out of the Box, we came up with Greenie; you'll get used to it." He paused and looked at me to see my reaction, I was staring at him waiting for him to continue because the answer I was eager to get was the second. "Most of us have been here six months. Now, keep walking." I stood frozen there for a few seconds, but quickly followed him.

"Six months!?" I exclaimed.

"I said no more questions" I could see that he was losing his patience and I did not want that, he was the leader after all and I needed to be on his good side.

"We don't appreciate curious people around here, shank. They only mean trouble." He added.

"I'm more scared than curious." I whispered. I could feel Nick's stare on me, analyzing me, I guess he was trying to figure out what was going through my mind.

"I know you're scared; I would be even more scared if I knew I was the only girl in this shucking Glade. But if you're not scared, you ain't human, Green bean." What is he talking about? Is this place that bad? Suddenly Nick came to a stop in front of a wooden building, if you could call it that. It was about 4 stories or maybe more I couldn't tell, and it looked as if it would collapse any minute.

"This is the Homestead. It's where some of us sleep, cause most of the kids sleep outside, too hot in here. Also, the Gatherings take place in the building." He keeps saying words that I have no idea what they mean and it's a little bit overwhelming. He kept talking but I wasn't listening, I was looking at the Homestead praying that it would not cave in on us and crash us to death. That would suck, being sent to this place and dying on the first day. I started laughing in my head when I felt a shove and almost fell face-first to the ground.

"Are you listening, shuck-face?" Nick snapped. "You know what, shuck it. I'm done."

"No! Wait! I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I swear." I was begging him and I was willing to kneel down if it was necessary.

"As I was saying… I'll get Gally to prepare you a room in the Homestead. You need your space and you need to be protected from some of this shanks, cause you never know." He shrugged. "And since me, Alby, Newt and some of the keepers sleep inside, you should be fine."

"Oh, thanks. But you don't need to treat me differently just because I'm a girl, you know? It's not fair for the Gladers, and besides, I can take care of myself." I said and Nick smiled when he heard me say _Gladers_.

I've been here for just a few hours and I have already started to use their slangs, and it felt right not forced like I thought it would.

"Bet you can take 'em, but none of us remember ever being with a girl around, so we better not risk it, at least till they get use to you being here." He said carefully. I have not thought about it, but everyone here were teenagers, male teenagers. Nick was probably the oldest, since he was in charge, maybe 16 or 17.

"Okay, you're right." I just shrugged.

We kept walking a little bit more behind the Homestead and he showed me the Slammer, a tiny place that functions as a jail. It looked miserable and I decided that I never want to be locked in there. Then, Nick showed me the Gardens on the northeast side of the walls, where the crops are grown and he mentioned something about the water being pumped since it never rains in the Glade. Sweet! No rain! Only sun, I hate the rain, Period.

"whatcha thinking?" Nick asked out of nowhere.

"hmm, nothing really. Just trying to taking everything in and concentrating really hard on keeping my mouth shut and not ask any questions…yet."

"Good that." He just said.

We stopped in front of structure that it looked like a stable, but not quite that. There were some farm animals, pigs, goats, among others. There was also some kind of building and it smelled like crap. I just wanted to never return to this place, I felt disgusted and was really trying not to vomit in front of Nick.

"I think you don't like the Blood House?" he said amused.

"You think? What is this place?!" I exclaimed and Nick laughed at me.

"It's not funny! I'm really trying not to throw up on you." He just laughed harder. I can't believe he finds it funny, It's like he knows something and I don't. Well, apparently everyone knows more than I do.

"Here, the animals are raised and later slaughtered." That's the smell, then. Death animals…it's final, I'm NEVER coming to this place again.

"Alright, let's go before you pass out." He was really enjoying my misery.

Nick led me to a little house close to the south door. It was kind of cute to look at and the door was mesmerizing. It was made of hundreds of sticks put together to form a thick door.

"This is the Map Room, where the runners come to trace the changes of the maze." Wait a second, maze?

"Maze?" I couldn't help myself, I was extremely confused. This was a maze?

Nick shook his head while he sighed.

"Yes, Greenie. There's a maze outside these walls. That's why we have been here for six months. We haven't found a way out yet, since it changes every night."

"What? Is that possible? Like the walls move?" I needed to ask what was on my mind because he was answering me.

"Yes, they move. Now, shut up and keep walking" He didn't sound angry, but really tired, as if the topic exhausted him.

I didn't move and inch. I wanted to go into the Map room and see what was inside and see the drawings and everything.

Nick noticed that I wasn't following him and came back and took me by the arm and urge me to walk.

"Listen carefully, you are not allowed to go inside the Map Room, okay? Only the runner can go in." he said.

"Well, I want to be a runner then." He stared at me for a whole minute and the burst out laughing. I just looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

"You can't be a runner." He simply said.

"Why not?"

"Just because, now drop it and let's finish this shucking tour. I've got better things to do."

I wanted this "shucking tour" to be over now, I wanted to be alone and think about everything Nick has told me and just not be with him. He was making me feel like a burden, just like Alby had not long ago.

"This forest here is called Deadheads, it's a quiet place and most like to come here and think, if any of these shanks think, and also there's a small graveyard at the back." He said quickly.

"Graveyard? Why do you need one?"

"Dark times at the beginning. We've been able to keep peace and work together for just a couple of months and I plan to keep it that way, so stay out of trouble and cooperate. We have only three rules. 1. Everyone does their part; we don't need slackers. 2. Never hurt another Glader, ever; we need to trust each other. And 3. Never go outside the Glade; only the runners are allowed outside the walls."

"O.. Okay." This was too much. People have died here? Suddenly I felt as if the walls were closing in on me and I had to take deep breaths to calm myself down.

Nick just kept walking till he got to where we started. The Box.

"Guess you know this Box, don't you?"

"I don't like it here." I don't know if I meant the Box or the Glade. Maybe both.

"I know, no one does. But it is important because every week we get the supplies we need, so if you ever need anything and tell me and I'll throw a piece of paper down the Box. Sometimes the Creators give us what we want." Again with words I don't understand, but I took a guess. Creators…the people that put us here? But I really didn't care, all I wanted was to be alone for a while.

Apparently he was waiting for an answer so a just nod and said a quiet "Okay".

"Tour's over. You should go take a nap and rest for the bonfire tonight."

He didn't let time to reply because he called for Newt and not ten seconds later he was coming out way.

"What's up, Nick? He asked in his accent.

"Take the Greenie to your room so she can rest before the bonfire tonight. She looks like she needs it." He ordered him.

"Okay, let's go, love." Newt said while he took me by the shoulders and led the way.

"How was the tour? Was Nick nice to you?" he asked.

"yeah, just a bit overwhelming. Nick was okay" I answered quietly.

We walked to the Homestead in complete silence, it wasn't awkward because I sensed that Newt understood what I was going through and let me be. He led me upstairs to the second floor, down a corridor with four doors on each side. Newt's room was the second to the right.

The room was small, just a bed, a small table and a small closet. It had a window next to the closet but it was covered with a cloth.

"Hey, you should try to sleep. Try not to overthink, okay? I'll come to get you when it's time for the bonfire." He said slowly.

"K, thanks Newt." I smiled at him.

He returned the smiled and left, closing the door on his way out.

I took one last look around the room and flopped on the bed and thought about all I've learned about the Glade and the way the liv. It was all very overwhelming and It was going to be very hard, especially if I was the only girl, but I could do it, I was gonna fit in and be one of them. And I was gonna demonstrate Nick and all of them that I could be a runner, that I was going to be one. I needed to get out of here and the only way was going to be able to leave it was if I became a runner. I knew I was strong and that I could take everything the threw at me but, after all the stress of the day, I let myself do what I needed. I broke down and cried till I fell asleep. However, right before I lost all consciousness I promised myself that this was the last time I'd let myself break down.


End file.
